The BJP was left red-faced with its leaders, including two Lok Sabha members, sharing the dais with history-sheeter Sunil Kumar at a blood donation camp here on Sunday.

Visuals of Lok Sabha members Tejasvi Surya and P.C. Mohan, BJP MLA Uday Garudachar and local leader N.R. Ramesh seated with “Silent” Sunil, who has around 15 criminal cases against him and has been hiding from police, went viral on social media on Tuesday much to the embarrassment of the ruling party.

Sunil wore a saffron stole at the event, sparking speculation that he would soon join the BJP and perhaps contest the upcoming Assembly election.

But Karnataka BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel quickly clarified that “Silent Sunil will never be allowed to join the BJP”.

Sunil has been absconding since November 23 when the central crime branch of the city police raided the houses of several people with criminal records, including his.

He gave the slip to the police who had no trace of the man until he appeared on the dais along with the BJP leaders.

With cases ranging from extortion, dacoity, assault and attempt to murder against him, the 41-year-old came to be known by the monicker “Silent” since he always carried out his business very quietly.

The purpose of the crime branch raids was surveillance on those with criminal records.

Police sources said Sunil was last summoned to a local police station a few months ago when he was let off with a warning against any criminal activities since there was no arrest warrant pending against him. He was last booked in a criminal case in 2017.

The Congress slammed the BJP for hobnobbing with a history-sheeter.

“The crime branch is looking for him and he appears along with BJP Lok Sabha members,” P.C. Siddaramaiah, leader of the Opposition, said on Tuesday.

Chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said: “I am not aware of this. But let the Congress first tell us how many history-sheeters are with them.”

Home minister Araga Jnanendra said: “I have no idea about this since I was in my constituency.”

While Surya, the national president of the BJP Yuva Morcha, was silent, his colleague Mohan claimed he had no idea Sunil was part of the event.

Garudachar said: “I know Sunil but I don’t know ‘Silent’ Sunil. We were all invited for a blood donation camp.”

Congress lawmaker Dinesh Gundu Rao lampooned the BJP leaders for claiming none of them knew anything about Sunil.

“It’s funny when all of them say they have no idea about his background when he was the organiser of the event.”